St. Vincent to direct female-driven Picture of Dorian Gray

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Call it The Picture of Doreen Gray. The newest iteration of Oscar Wilde's classic novel The Picture of Dorian Gray is in development, and the plan is to make Dorian a female character.

Lionsgate is behind the new adaptation, and the studio has reportedly recruited musician St. Vincent (nee Annie Clark) to direct a script from David Birke. According to Variety, St. Vincent plans on making the titular character a woman.

St. Vincent's first foray into directing was "Birthday Party," a segment in the female-driven horror anthology XX, which premiered earlier this year. The Picture of Dorian Gray will be her feature debut. Birke broke away from direct-to-video horror flicks like Gacy and Freeway Killer with his recent film Elle. His script for Slender Man is currently in production.

Dorian Gray is a philosophical exploration of living a double life. In the book, libertine Dorian makes a Faustian deal to have a painting of himself, hidden away in his attic, bear the signs of age and the sins he engages in. The Picture of Dorian Gray has been subject to dozens of filmed interpretations since the beginning of motion pictures. The 1945 Academy Award-winning version starring Angela Lansbury is considered by most film historians to be the best. Most recently, Dorian was depicted in the Showtime series Penny Dreadful.

What do you think about making Dorian Gray a woman? Who would you want to see as a female Dorian Gray?